AMS Baggage Drop Deadline
 

Anybody ever face the following at AMS:

A) I check in the night before, online, for Delta Flight 71 from AMS to JFK. Flight is Delta-ticketed on Delta-metal.

B) Am forced to use KLM website to do checkin. KLM does not inquire about how many bags you are checking....all you do is check yourself in which I do (successfully).

C) Arrive at baggage drop off 1 hour 45 minutes before the flight.

D) Baggage drop representative tells me I am too late to check my bag and must carry it onboard.

E) I enquire about the deadline and am told that for most flights it is 2 hours, but for flights to the USA it is 3 hours (but they will often, in their discretion, allow US flyers to check their bags as late as 2 hours before flight time).

F) I ask if this is truly the rule...which is met with thick ridicule and sarcasm ending with the comment that arriving at the baggage drop 1 hour and 45 minutes before flight time is cutting it way too close and rather than quizzing airline representatives about company rules I should be running to my gate so I do not miss my plane which I will probably miss.

G) Thinking that maybe there is something I did not realize about this airport and that I would feel really stupid if I did miss my airplane because I was arguing with the representative when they were telling me to run to the gate, I follow that instruction and run to my gate to find that it is not even open yet for accepting passengers.

I freely admit in the various websites, tickets, etc., there was the usual gobbledygook that they say you should arrive at the airport 3 hours before your flight, but this is the first time I have ever encountered anything like what happened to me at AMS. I am feeling pretty bent out of shape about it. Of course I made my flight no problem. I do not know if this is the way KLM is or I just found the one evil representative. Does everybody in the whole country of the Netherlands show up at least 2 hours before their flight if they want to check luggage? Is this just special KLM treatment of Delta customers? Am I off in right field and cutting it too close showing up already checked in at the baggage drop off at 1 hour and 45 minutes before scheduled departure (n.b. I easily made it to gate before gate area was even opened)?

You got hosed.

http://www.klm.com/travel/ch_en/prep...k_in_times.htm

Check-in closing time before scheduled departure*
Amsterdam - 60 minutes for non-Europe flights

Departure from Closing times of the baggage drop-off points before scheduled
Amsterdam - 60 minutes for non-European flights


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DL is the same:
http://www.delta.com/traveling_check.../requirements/
Security Check-in Requirements for International Travel To/From Non-U.S. Cities

The recommended arrival time at the airport prior to departure of International Flights is 3 hours. When traveling to/from a destination outside the United States, you must be checked in at least 60 minutes before your scheduled departure time. This minimum requirement applies to all customers checking-in, with or without baggage. Customers who fail to complete the check-in procedures by these deadlines will not be able to travel on desired flights and change fees may apply.

http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ents/index.jsp

Check in and baggage check deadlines are hyperlinked from the Contract of Carriage. The baggage check deadline at AMS is 60 minutes. Yours was another fine KLM handling experience.

At AMS, I've checked in bags with around 60 minutes left (or even less) plenty of times. Unfortunately, I think you just got a misinformed and overzealous agent. Sounds like you had a bag that you could carry through security as a carry on. I wonder what would have happened if you had a larger suitcase.

I'd write to Delta and KLM.